Automated lesson selection and examination in computer-assisted education

• US 5,904,485 A
• Filed: 11/04/1994
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Siefert, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rovnak, John Edmund
• Application Number:
  US08/334,778
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 434/236, 434/350, 434/307 R, 434/323, 434/362, 434/322, 434/327, 434/335, 434/336, 434/353, 434/237
• US Class Current: 434/322
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/14 with provision for individual teacher-student communication
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

The invention concerns computer-assisted education, in which a school curriculum is stored in computer repositories. A learning profile is maintained for every student, which indicates the student'"'"'s capabilities, preferred learning style, and progress. Based on the profile, an Intelligent Administrator (IA) selects appropriate material for presentation to the student during each learning session. The IA then assesses whether the student has mastered the material. If not, the material is presented in a different way. If repeated different presentations fail to instill mastery, the IA establishes a video conference between the student and a professor.

Claims

1. A computer system which presents educational material to a student and tests the student'"'"'s grasp of the material, comprising:

(a) profile generation means, performed by the computer system, for obtaining information from the student, for using the information to generate a profile of the student, which includes an indication of a preferred learning style of the student, and for storing the profile on the computer system; and

(b) intelligent administrator means, performed by the computer system, for examining the student'"'"'s profile stored in the computer system, for selecting lessons for the student based on the student'"'"'s profile, for administering examinations to the student corresponding to the selected lessons, and for establishing a video conference between the student and a subject matter expert when the student fails to demonstrate mastery of the selected lessons.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which the profile generation means comprises means for obtaining information from the student both actively and non-intrusively.

3. A method of teaching using a computerized system which presents material to students, and assesses whether students understand the material presented, comprising the following steps:

(a) creating profiles in the computer system, which describe learning characteristics of students, based on factors which include one or more of the following;

(i) standardized test results;

(ii) results of personal interviews; and

(iii) evaluation of student'"'"'s performance of assigned tasks;

(b) storing the profiles within the computer system;

(c) examining the student'"'"'s profile stored in the computer system;

(d) selecting lessons for the student based on the student'"'"'s profile;

(e) administering examinations to the student corresponding to the selected lessons; and

(f) establishing a video conference between the student and a subject matter expert when the student fails to demonstrate mastery of the selected lessons.

4. A method of teaching using a computer system which contains a plurality of lessons, comprising the following steps:

(a) storing learning profiles which contain information about learning characteristics of students in the computer system;

(b) selecting lessons for students, based on the profile;

(c) administering examinations to the student corresponding to the selected lessons; and

(d) establishing a video conference between the student and a subject matter expert when the student fails to demonstrate mastery of the selected lessons.